


and there's lightning in my veins

by seungvvannie (galaxygerbil)



Series: even as a shadow, even as a dream [1]
Category: Red Velvet (K-pop Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Gen, Lee Euijin (minor appearance)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-08-12 02:46:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20132548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galaxygerbil/pseuds/seungvvannie
Summary: —But you're the thunder that keeps my heart beating.Or, Sooyoung is a senior in high school when a new family moves in the house next door.





	and there's lightning in my veins

Sooyoung is a senior in high school when a new family moves in the house next door. She and her sisters play scissors-rock-paper to determine who has to deliver the Parks’ housewarming gift to the Kims, and, ultimately, Sooyoung loses. She's never been that good at games; never lucky or unlucky, just the right amount of chance. She wishes this time the tides were in her favor, though, because she's had a long day at school and just finished her homework.

She frowns as her sisters point and laugh at her and her predicament; swears she's trying her hardest not to hit them over the head and in the end just couldn't fight against it anymore.

The _ OW! _ and _ You're just a sore loser! _ make her feel better, anyways, so it was worth it.

“It’s too heavy, mom! I need one of them to go with me,” she complains in the kitchen as her two younger sisters continue to cackle on the couch.

Her mother snorts and pinches her side as she transfers food from the hot pan to a waiting platter. “It’s _ toilet paper _. Now, go. Or else your father will finish all the food and you'll end up missing dinner.” Her father’s laughter booms from the dining area as he sets up the table; Sooyoung sighs and gives up.

“Try your best to be nice, okay, Sooyoung-ah?” her father teases, smiling at her as he sets the glasses down.

“Sure, I'll tell them that this middle-of-nowhere neighborhood sucks thanks to the monthly power outages and the lady that sells treats every afternoon is just using the money to gamble and _ not _ pay for her grandkids’—”

“Oh God,” he mutters, face losing color. “Honey are we _ sure _ we want Sooyoungie to do it? Maybe I should—”

Sooyoung’s _ Too late! _ rings through the hall the same time as her mother's _ And who's going to set the table then? You're not getting out of this! _

She waddles miserably to the house next door and grumbles the entire time, kicking a rock or two on her way before stopping at an iron gate. _ There it is _.

The Kims’ new place of residence was actually not new at all— it was older than Sooyoung and probably even her parents. Wider than it was tall, the wood and concrete remind her of haunted old homes with doors that creaked and echoed through its halls. It wasn't ancient, and Sooyoung’s pretty sure they've got air conditioning installed, but it gave off the vibe of old money whose bloodline slowly withered away like leaves in fall.

Suppressing a shiver, Sooyoung steps along the short stone path leading to the front door and knocks on the age-old wood. It opens to reveal a girl quite a ways shorter than her, all big eyes and high cheekbones. _ Pretty _.

“Yes?” the girl asks, voice almost as small as her person. _ Young, too. Maybe my sister’s age _. “Did you need something?”

Sooyoung blinks. “Um, these are for the Kims. From the Parks next door. I’m one of them. A Park. Park Sooyoung, I mean—” she stutters out like an idiot, watching as the smaller girl’s brows furrow and unfurrow funnily in the three seconds Sooyoung takes to completely embarrass herself. “Here,” she gestures helplessly to the toilet paper and detergent she’d brought over in a basket.

“My parents aren’t home...” the girl says, looking unsure. Sooyoung was a bit lost too; she’d been expecting to come face to face with a middle aged woman who’d insist on treating her with dinner or something, or an old grandfather who’d offer to repay her chore with interesting stories and soon a handsome but spoiled grandson— _ I probably watch too many dramas _, she thinks, before the girl across her speaks again: “I’m Kim Yerim.”

“Hi,” Sooyoung greets as Yerim looks up at her. She's tiny— and the fuzzy pink sweater she's wearing makes her look even smaller. “Um, I don’t…” —_ know what to do in this situation either. _ Sooyoung bites her lip, trying not to stare. “Uh. So you’ll be alone for dinner then? You can come over and eat with us, you know. We haven't started on dinner yet.”

Yeah. Her mother won’t mind_ . She might even give me extra allowance for being so hospitable _.

Sooyoung’s eyes widen as Yerim’s own disappear into crescents. _ Oh, wow _. The girl’s giggle and smile could almost rival Sooyoung’s, and that's saying something when the girl was probably smiling just to be polite.

“I've already eaten and I wouldn’t want to intrude.” Yerim replies, lips pursing when Sooyoung pouts like a kid denied their candy.

Yerim gestures to take the basket from Sooyoung, who hands it over. She notices that the sweater’s sleeve is too long for her arms and her hands end up covered. _ Cute _.

Sooyoung shifts her weight between her feet and folds her hands behind her while Yerim watches on.

“Send your parents our blessings, then, please. We hope you like the neighborhood.” Sooyoung recites what her mother had drilled into her head while Yerim nods and motions to start closing the door. Before she does, Sooyoung suddenly speaks.“Wait. Are you in high school? I’m a senior.“ Sooyoung cites the name of her school. “I can show you around if you go there too,” she offers.

An emotion passes behind Yerim’s eyes, too quickly for Sooyoung to decipher and wrap her head around. “No,” she replies. A beat. Then, “Thank you, again.” and the door firmly shuts with a soft click, leaving Sooyoung standing motionless at the doorstep.

_ Huh. Guess I won't be getting that extra allowance. _

⚡

Her parents do end up giving her extra money in thanks the next week; it was through a lot of begging on her part, but the details don't matter. Sooyoung goes to school with heavier pockets and blushing cheeks from giddiness.

The school day passes just the same as any other (—Yerim was telling the truth, she isn't in Sooyoung’s high school, or at least not in her class or year—) and the weight of Sooyoung’s skirt remains the same in all the hours of all the classes she's had to sit through. She doesn't use the money for an extra snack during break or save it for that handbag she's been wanting for a while downtown in one of their only boutiques.

Instead, as soon as classes are over, she hops on her bicycle and pedals her way to the other side of the city. She makes sure the baskets on the front and back are attached properly; they'll be carrying a lot.

“Sooyoung-ah! It's rare to see you on a weekday,” the caretaker greets her as a bell chimes, signalling Sooyoung’s arrival. It's Euijin, clad in his standard beanie and hiding his laugh-lined face behind a face mask. He must have just finished cleaning the food bowls.

The shelter is the same as it’s always been— though, in retrospect, it's not like three days since her last visit would make a difference. The marble floors are pristine and there are wagging tails filling her vision. Euijin wipes his hands on his apron as he fixes the dog food containers; a few puppies whine in the background. “Is there a special occasion?”

She shakes her head. “Not particularly. I brought gifts and figured they couldn't wait.” She motions toward her bag full of old towels and medicine for skin issues that one of the senior dogs had been needing. “I know winter is still a ways off, but… storms can make them feel cold, too, right?”

Euijin smiles. “You're right about that,” he says, picking out a volunteer-apron and handing it to Sooyoung. “Why don't you make yourself useful while you're around?” he teases, but Sooyoung has a retort ready.

“Bold words coming from a midget.”

He sputters. “I'm still taller than you! An inch is an inch!”

She ignores him and opts to serve dinner to the waiting dogs who can't quite keep their excitement to themselves. She locks the door to the shelter and opens their tiny little gates one by one, making sure to greet each dog lovingly and in equal amounts. “Hi there, hey handsome, aren't we a good boy today,” she cooed softly, petting a French bulldog with a bad eye and scars along his neck.

By the end of the feeding session, the Frenchie is still happily in her arms.

“Georgie seems really happy to see you back so soon.”

The shelter in Sooyoung’s town has the lowest kill rate in the province, but it still _ has _ a kill rate. It takes money and resources and lots and lots of labor to keep this place going, but they can't save every dog from sickness, old age, depression— you name it. The only way to give them peace is to take care of them on their last days if they're not adopted. George, the Frenchie, will definitely be one of the first to go. With a bad eye and scars all over, he's often overlooked when people come by looking to adopt. It's never brought him down, but it breaks her heart every time a family walks out without him in their arms. It was just one step closer to being put down.

“Good boy. You're a great boy, aren't you?” She giggles as George laps at her hands.

Euijin interrupts their moment with a sad smile. “Sooyoung, you should get going,” he says, and gestures to the large windows. “The rain will come soon.”

⚡

Their little town by the sea is a magnet for thunderstorms and the city-wide blackouts that came with them. Sooyoung and her sisters knew the layout of their home like the back of their hands (—_ the candles are in the kitchen cabinet by the fridge, leave the windows closed but open the vents in the attic, it never floods but watch out for decaying corners of the ceiling lest they give out _—) and it shows when this particular storm passes through.

Sooyoung waits for the power outage that always, _ always _ comes with the rain, but it never arrives.

She knows she should be thankful, but it's… unnerving. It was like seeing lightning in the distance but the thunder never comes; she's left waiting for the boom to reverberate through the house while being on edge the entire time.

The attic gets some air and the rainwater crawls down the corners of the rooms, but the candles are never lit.

“Unnie! Look at this!” her sister yells, and Sooyoung makes her way to the living room as fast as she can. The news is on and their local newscaster looks as awkward as Sooyoung’s skin feels; this has never happened before.

“What,” Sooyoung hisses, irritated. She turns off the lights to retain some semblance of normalcy during a storm, but having the voices she usually heard on radio have faces she can associate them with is too jarring of an experience, so she looks away.

Her sister shoves her phone in her face.

Sooyoung clicks her tongue, annoyed. Classes are suspended but work isn't, so she's all alone in trying to wrestle these rascals while her parents are out. “Am I supposed to stare at your wallpaper or something?”

“No, unnie, _ look at the battery _.”

So she does. The percentage rises every few seconds— 40, 41 42. The rate it's going is slower than usual, but so what? Sooyoung is about to say this before the percentage drops again— 42, 41, 40.

“It's not even connected to anything,” their youngest murmurs, and Sooyoung sees that she's right. She grabs her own phone and watches the same thing happen with her own battery percentage.

_ What the _…

“Is this why they're called electrical storms? That's so cool!”

It's most definitely not why they're called that, and this is definitely not what normally happens. There's no tangible static in the air— not like the few seconds it takes before lightning strikes. It's something else. It's _ weird _.

Her sisters’ and the newscaster’s voices fade in the background as Sooyoung moves to look outside their window, trying to make sense of the commotion, but she stops when she sees a figure on the street.

The girl— Kim Yerim— stands out in front of the large house Sooyoung visited the other day, with the rain wetting her clothes and the wind blowing her hair in every direction.

She’s smaller than Sooyoung is by miles, and she looks weaker, too, but instead of being pushed around by the forces of nature, she just stares up into the storm.

Yerim doesn’t falter. She doesn’t even move.

**Author's Note:**

> Premise/concept up for adoption, just comment/PM me


End file.
